The field of technology is related to the management of optical networks, i.e. dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) networks, especially to the management of the flexible multiplex structures and the electrical switching.
In new generation DWDM networks, several transport container (transmission layer) exist, i.e., optical channel data units ODUk with k=0 to 4, which can be multiplexed to each other without the need to follow fix containments and multiplex structures. That is, each ODUk (for instance k=1-4) can be multiplexed into each ODUk+n in any arbitrary order. The number of ODUk container as well as the possible containments (or client server relationships) increase constantly in the same way as the bandwidth increases which can be transmitted via an optical channel, e.g. 1 Gbit/sec→ODU0, 2.5 Gbit/sec→ODU1, 10 Gbit/sec→ODU2, 40 Gbit/sec→ODU3, 100 Gbit/sec→ODU4, . . . .
An ODUk can contain all ODUk−n (low order ODU, LO-ODU). The LO-ODU can be of the same layer only or mixed in each possible combination. However the overall bandwidth can be used only once, i.e. the load of one ODU3 is adequate to e.g. 4×ODU2 or 16×ODU1 or 32×ODU0. In addition, at least until now, ODU2/3e and ODUflex exist. For ODUflex, the bandwidth can be modified (increased/decreased) from 2.5 G/sec to 100 G/sec and multiplexed to each higher order ODUk (HO-ODUk) with k=2-4. That means that no fix multiplicity and relationship to the other ODUk layer can be defined. For instance, the containment in a ODU4 could be ODU1, ODU0, ODU0, ODU3, ODU3e, ODU2, ODU2e, ODUflex, . . . in each possible sequence of all possible ODUks.
In addition, the multiplexing cannot only be single stage but multistage, i.e. an ODU0 can be multiplexed into an ODU1, the ODU1 again into an ODU2, the ODU2 again into an ODU3 and the ODU3 again into an ODU4.
Due to the high flexibility to define the multiplex structure and the fact that the structure has not to be defined completely in one step but can be enhanced each time when a new service is to be configured in the network, it might be nearly impossible to offer the user any prepared templates for all possible multiplex structures which are possible—especially for ODU3 and above. The amount of selectable structures is very high, specially, if the possible combinations of the time slot usage in dependence on the payload type are considered. For instance, the possible combinations of ODU3 in an ODU4 can be seen from the following formula:
      (          80      32        )    -            80      !                      32        !            ⁢              18        !              -      2.19    ⁢          e      22      
Even in case any system could handle this huge amount of combinations, it is very uncomfortable a user to handle it (like finding right template in a very long list).
In common networks, the multiplex structures were well defined and could be changed only according to fix rules and multiplicities. That means that the possible multiplex structures were limited and therefore easy to handle by the network management system and the user. As the flexibility is increasing, there may be a need for an improved system and method providing a flexible and dynamic management for a dynamic multiplexing structure.